This invention relates to turbine engines and, in particular, to an engine having a rotating drum instead of a rotating shaft.
In order to improve the performance of turbine engines, particularly turbojet engines, it has been common to increase sizes, rotational speeds and/or operating temperatures. This has presented challenges to building reliable engines. Such changes, for example, place increased demands on bearings, turbine blades and discs.
An area of interest has been the increased use of ceramic and other high temperature composites in the high temperature portions of the engine. Unfortunately, using such materials under tension presents its own problems. For example, a simple notch in the material may cause a catastrophic failure. The invention described herein avoids notch sensitivity and other structural problems.
An engine includes a drum-like portion having a circular blade section extending inwardly therefrom, a support member; and a bearing arranged around a circle having a diameter substantially equal to or greater than the diameter of the blade section. The drum-like portion is rotatably mounted within the support member on the bearing. A drive fluid source provides a fluid to rotate said drum-like portion.